FISH OILS PREVENT PREMATURE BIRTH

May 12th, 2013

A study from Denmark shows that women who don't eat fish during pregnancy are at increased risk for delivering their babies early, which increases risk for the baby to be born small and being sick and dying.

7.1 percent of women who did not eat fish had preterm births, compared to only 1.9 percent of those eating fish at least once a week. These findings agree with other trials showing that omega-3 fatty acids in deep water fish help to prevent premature birth.

A woman doesn't have to eat fish to get omega-3 fatty acids. Whole grains such as wheat, beans such as soybeans, seeds such as flaxseeds, and many other plant foods are loaded with omega-3 oils. Most bakery products and pastas do not contain adequate amounts of omega-3s because the germ containing omega-3s is removed before whole grains are ground into flour.